Leadfingers...yes, and plenty accumulated age-related damage...restricted movement in my right elbow following a break when I fell rock climbing...plus constant pain in it. And the ring and little finger of my left hand numb following ulnar nerve damage. Frostnip damage to several finger tips from ice-climbing, and occasional "A-pulley" tendon strain (usually in the middle finger)when I crimp a hold too hard. I guess I have to face it that my hands are not i great nick for playing sensitively. But there are several 'catters on here who seem to manage despite must more serious injuries to their hands than mine.

Will...Thanks for the input. I guess I've just got to work at the complex fingerpicking. I'm motivated to master it as I think the guitar played (well) in that way sounds magical. When I started, I got an Epiphone Les Paul and was quite happy for a while just learning electric lead parts, but found it really limiting, not having anyone else to play with regularly. Also had regular complaints from the family re amplification.

So I branched out and got an acoustic about a year ago, since when I've hardly touched the Epi! I think the instrument's decent enough for me to learn on at this stage. It's one of the "bottom of range" Mexican-made Martins with the HPL sides and back, but it sounds good, has a decent action and plays quite easily, so good enough for me for now.

It was YouTube videos of Tommy Emmanuel and Andy McKee which really awakened a desire to learn the acoustic, plus wanting to play some "folky" stuff. And then I discovered your YouTube videos, which I'm using quite extensively to learn from now. I like your picking diagrams, even though I usually have to step through them one frame at a time several times before I "get" it!

I do set myself a task, work on it and then relax by playing something easier or that I've already mastered. I guess I started doing that naturally as I realised early on that just flogging at something solidly for an hour would probably turn me right off!

I'll reiterate that your videos are an absolute inspiration and that any generosity on the part of your mentors 40 years ago has been more than repaid by the time and effort you've put into your YouTube lessons. I've got at least 8-10 of them "favourited" at any one time :-)